With Hendricks at the top, Cubs feeling good about rotation
This wasn't the most dramatic announcement the Cubs will ever make, but manager David Ross confirmed Kyle Hendricks as the Opening Day starter Tuesday during a Zoom call with reporters.
When the Cubs traded Yu Darvish to San Diego in the offseason, Hendricks inherited the role of staff ace. The 31-year-old Dartmouth product started last year's delayed opener and threw a complete-game shutout against Milwaukee.
"I feel like Kyle, his resume, his leadership, his poise, all that goes into being the opening day starter, all the pomp and circumstance that goes with Opening Day - every arrow points to Kyle," Ross said. "He's a guy who respects the honor of starting on Opening Day and is the leader of our staff, in my opinion. So I think it makes a ton of sense."
During spring training, Hendricks has posted a 6.48 ERA in three starts, but said he feels like everything is working well. The Cubs are week away from hosting Pittsburgh on April 1, which will also mark the partial return of fans at Wrigley Field.
"It's going to be awesome just to be able to be a part of that first game," Hendricks said. "To have the fans back in there, it's been such a big hit not having them. To be able to have them and that energy they bring every single day, it's going to be so much fun."
While Hendricks at the top was a given, the Cubs' starting rotation was a huge question heading into spring training. Now it's become more clear. Newcomers Zach Davies (0.00 ERA) and Trevor Williams (1.32) have had stellar springs, while veteran Jake Arrieta is off to a promising start.
Arrieta gave up 1 run in 5 2/3 innings against the White Sox on Tuesday, lowering his spring ERA to 2.40. Hendricks, Davies, Williams and Arrieta will be the top four, barring injuries, with Alec Mills likely joining once a fifth starter is needed.
"You come in with question marks on the rotation and have new guys in there," Ross said when asked about the spring success of Davies and Williams. "To watch them compete and watch them have success is definitely rewarding as a manager and I think as a group. It seems like it's been a really good marriage so far."
The wild card of the group is Shelby Miller, who hasn't pitched in the majors since June, 2019. In 9 innings this spring, Miller has allowed just 1 earned run and struck out 12. Ross acknowledged Miller, once a first-round pick of the Cardinals and all-star with the Braves, is a candidate to make the regular-season roster as kind of a spot starter or long reliever.
"He's on the radar, he's a guy that's in the mix to make the team," Ross said. "I think he continues to prove himself and kind of identify what he can do. Real velocity. We don't have that type of velocity in our rotation. We don't have much of that even in our bullpen.
"I've talked to him about being a swing guy. I've talked to him about one inning, I've talked to him about multiple innings, I've talked to him about starting. I think that's a huge value he brings to our team."
Miller wasn't as sharp on the mound Tuesday. He hit a batter and walked two, before getting Jose Abreu on a line out to right to end the seventh inning.
The Cubs had high hopes for 26-year-old Adbert Alzolay. But with a 15.75 ERA in the spring, he's a candidate to stay behind and work at getting his groove back.
Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls